The Department of Agriculture last week awarded $4.3 million in grants to 48 veterinarians serving rural communities. The funding is aimed at helping the veterinarians repay a portion of their veterinary school loans in return for serving in areas lacking sufficient veterinary resources. USDA says the funding will fill veterinary shortage needs in 27 states. USDA says studies indicate there are significant shortages of food animal veterinarians in certain areas of the nation and in high-priority specialty sectors that require advanced training, such as food safety, epidemiology, diagnostic medicine and public health. A leading cause for the shortage, according to USDA, is the cost of veterinary medical training that leaves current graduates of veterinary colleges with, on average, student loan debt of more than $135,000.